National parks are reopening from coronavirus closures. Here's what to know

Postpone challenging hikes. Having to rescue and treat stranded hikers could divert first responders and medical professionals from the pandemic response.

Trash collection and restroom facilities may not be available. Campgrounds are generally closed. 

Stay in groups from your own household and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina

The park is the nation's most visited, with 12.5 million visitors annually. Roads, trails, picnic areas and restrooms are open. Visitors centers, campgrounds and concessions remain closed. Some roads are closed to vehicles but open to hiking and biking.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

The Grand Canyon is America's second-most visited national park, with 5.97 million annual visitors. The South Rim opened to limited access on May 15. On June 5, the South Rim will be open 24 hours, and the Mather Campground will be open for existing reservations. The North Rim will open for day use on June 5, with the campground closed for construction until July 1. The Colorado River will reopen to recreational use with existing permits beginning June 14. North and South Rim lodging will reopen in phases throughout June.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Starting June 4, the park will implement a timed, reserved entry system that will last through the summer. Visitors will reserve and pay the entrance fee in advance at recreation.gov and enter the park within a two-hour window between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. In this phase, 60% of the park's capacity, or 4,800 vehicles and 13,500 visitors a day.

"This system will more safely manage the pace and flow of visitor use, reduce crowding, and provide an improved visitor experience in alignment with the park’s safe operational capacity," said park superintendent Darla Sidles.

Zion National Park, Utah

The park has been open during daylight hours since May 13. The Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is open to private vehicles until parking capacity is reached, and the last entry is at 6 p.m. The 6-mile road has about 400 parking spots. The park's shuttle operation is suspended. Trails are open to day hiking but not to overnight backpacking. The Zion Lodge is open with limited rooms and amenities.

Yosemite National Park, California

The park, which gets 4.4 million visitors annually, is reopening June 11. One big change: For now, visitors must reserve day passes in advance instead of driving up to the park for entry.Visitors can reserve a day-use entry pass at Recreation.gov. Passes will be validated at the park's entrance gate and can be used for seven days of entry. The person who booked the day pass must be in the vehicle and show a government ID matching the name on the reservation.

Each user can make one reservation per day. The park will only accept credit cards for payment of entrance fees. Overnight camping and lodging will also resume June 11 and those visitors will not need a day reservation. Most retail and food and beverage services will also open by June 15. Visitor center services will be moved outdoors. No shuttle buses will be available this season.

Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana

The park's Montana entrances opened Monday, as the Acadia National Park, Maine

The park partially reopened Monday, though Maine visitors are under a 14-day quarantine order. The Park Loop Road is now open, along with most nearby restrooms. Hiking trails are open, and trash collection has resumed. The Carriage Roads will open June 5 for pedestrians, but they will remain closed to bicycle and equestrian riders. The Hulls Cove Visitors Center is open with limited outdoor information services from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Campgrounds remain closed and will reopen no earlier than July 1.

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

The park reopened May 18 for limited recreational use. Primary roads are open, as are hiking trails for day access. Riverbank and lakeshore fishing is permitted, as are limited biking and wildlife tours. Campgrounds, overnight lodging, visitors centers, marinas and food service remain closed. Boating on lakes and rivers is prohibited.

Olympic National Park, Washington

The park is partially open to day use recreation. All coastal areas, however, remain closed. That includes beaches, parking areas, trails and facilities. No areas of the park are open to camping. Visitors' centers and ranger stations remain closed. Limited lodging and take-out dining are open.

Glacier National Park, Montana

Portions of the west side of the park reopened June 8 for day-use only. The rest of the park will remain closed through June 30 in coordination with the Blackfeet Tribe, which continues to restrict nonessential travel. Lodging, food service and gift shop operations will reopen on June 15. Food service will be limited and take-out only. Guided day hikes will resume on June 12, and guided overnight trips on June 20. But tours remain unavailable, and campgrounds remain closed until further notice.

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Spending time outdoors can reduce stress and increase overall health. Stuck inside? You can still connect with nature with a virtual visit to a national park. Ten of the most-visited national parks in the nation offer innovative ways for visitors cooped up at 真人百家家乐官网网站home to explore America the Beautiful. swissmediavision, Getty Images

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park: The mist-shrouded peaks, verdant forests and numerous waterfalls of the Great Smoky Mountains straddle the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. This swath of American wilderness is typically the most visited park in the national park system. Its viewpoints have been painted and immortalized in poetry, and many are showcased via live webcams placed throughout the park. Gaze across Newfound Gap, check out the weather atop Clingmans Dome or soak up the views from Purchase Knob. iStock / SeanPavonePhoto

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Grand Canyon National Park: Many Americans are familiar with the colorful formations of the Grand Canyon, whether from visiting in person or seeing the iconic park in photos. While the views are undeniably beautiful, the park also has archaeological significance. On a Grand Canyon virtual archaeology tour, armchair travelers get an inside look at the first major excavation along the Colorado River in nearly four decades. A series of interactive 360-degree photos show the archaeologists at work, with insight into their tools and methods. Allyson Mathis / NPS photo

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Rocky Mountain National Park: Many sights of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado might be familiar to travelers – granite mountaintops, glassy lakes, meadows filled with wildflowers and the occasional elk, moose or black bear. The sounds of the park, though, might be less familiar. Explore this popular park using a different sense by diving into the park’s Sound Library. Experience the sounds of dawn in Big Meadow, relax with the babbling brook near Black Canyon Trail, hear a thunderstorm from the Sunrise Campsite, listen to a bull elk bugle or learn the difference between the song of a yellow-rumped warbler and a mountain chickadee. iStock / TCallahan

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Zion National Park: Few vistas are as dramatic as the one from the top of Angels Landing. One of the world’s most famous hikes leads to the top of this clifftop perch. If you want to know what it’s like to hike Angels Landing (or want to relive the experience from your couch), set out on an eHike. This virtual experience features videos, pictures and sounds that allow you to compare the Virgin River at normal flow and during a flash flood, listen to canyon tree frogs from the West Rim Trail, learn to identify California condors and watch hikers ascend the chain to Scout Lookout. NPS Photo / Caitlin Ceci

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Yosemite National Park: Few national parks have more iconic natural wonders than Yosemite. Travelers can see these landmarks in real time thanks to the park’s series of webcams. See water cascading down from Yosemite Falls (and the Pacific dogwoods that bloom just below the waterfall each spring), or look up at Half Dome from the floor of Yosemite Valley. Another camera shows the High Sierra conditions from an elevation of about 8,000 feet. iStock / GarysFRP

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Yellowstone National Park: America’s oldest national park is also one of the easiest to tour virtually. Learn about the history of Fort Yellowstone, see the bubbling mud pits at the Fountain Paint Pot, gaze down into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, explore the hydrothermal features of Mammoth Springs and see what it’s like to walk along the boardwalks of the Upper Geyser Basin. You can also watch Old Faithful erupt in real time or send an audio postcard featuring the sounds of springtime, the yips and howls of wolves at Blacktail Pond or the bellows of bison in the Northern Range. NPS / Diane Renkin

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Acadia National Park: One of the best ways to experience Acadia National Park in Maine is from the water. Set sail to explore the rocky shores of Mount Desert Island from your computer via an Acadia eCruise. Hear interpretation from real park rangers as you watch a tide time-lapse from the Porcupine Islands, take in the panoramic views from Baker Island, listen to the sounds of the ocean or resident harbor seals, or do some virtual birdwatching along the rocky cliffs. NPS Photo

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Grand Teton National Park: The Grand Tetons are breathtaking even in photos, but the views are even better from the trails of this legendary alpine climbing destination. The park offers three ways to explore online. Trek to the top of a 13,770-foot summit without breaking a sweat with the Grand Teton eClimb, or take an eHike around String Lake, complete with video, animal sounds, plant identification guides and animations of Teton geology. Travelers can also experience the Moose-Wilson Corridor to get familiar with some of the park’s wildlife. NPS Photo

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Olympic National Park: Olympic National Park protects a rainforest ecosystem largely untouched by human habitation. As such, it also protects a staggering range of habitats and impressive biodiversity. A set of beautiful interactive murals caters to those with an interest in plants and animals (or the more artistically inclined). You can click through the images to learn more about what’s growing in the park, as well as the restoration of the Elwha Estuary. NPS Photo

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Glacier National Park: The landscapes of Glacier National Park rank among the most majestic in the nation, and simple photos don’t do them justice. While nothing beats standing amid the snow-capped peaks and turquoise glacial lakes yourself, the park’s interactive panoramas help impart the sense of grandeur by allowing views to scan right, left and all around. Soak up the scenery of Lake McDonald, Two Medicine Lake, Running Eagle Falls, Highline Trail, Going-to-the-Sun Road and the Meadows at Fifty Mountain. NPS / Tim Rains

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For more ideas on creative ways to explore the world, visit 10Best.com. E+ / mapodile

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